pioneer

How often does that word show up in conversation?

"Which word would that be?"

The title word for this post, silly. Or did you not even read the title?

"Oh, you mean 'pioneer'? Honestly, I can't recall the last time I heard it said."

Me, neither. And yet, tonight I heard it spoken at least twice! Which can only mean one thing - he actually read my curriculum vitae.

"Who did?"

My boss man, the Chem & Phys department head.

"You're kidding?! I thought he regarded you as some marginalized person to be tolerated because you taught the night class and no one else wanted to do that."

Sho' 'nuff. That's the impression he's given me for at least the last decade.

"So why were you and he together this evening? What's that all about?"

Well, remember that I went to the chemistry nerds event in October? This was the ACS' chemistry nerd trivia night at the Moon River. Woohoo! It was centered on the Periodic Table, but the questions were pretty difficult. We all knew we were in trouble when we were given blank forms and told to fill them in. Yikes!

"But if you're all chemistry nerds, then you should have that memorized already!"

No, no, no. The Periodic Table is a tool and the focus is being able to use it. No one should EVER be forced to memorize such a device. I think forcing such memorization is a sign of a teacher who is ill-informed about the device's usefulness as the best cheat sheet in the world. Students do need to memorize what the names of the elements are, to match chemical symbols. However, that's no different from memorizing the alphabet when learning a new language, n'est-ce pas?

"Absolutely! That said... how many did you correctly place?"

Only thirty-three. But the most that were correct was 75... and none of those were lanthanides and actinides. LOL!

"Yes, dear, but you have digressed off topic, as usual."

And that topic, as you see it?

"Why did 'pioneer' come to be part of chem nerd trivia?"

Oh, that. Okay, here is the passage from my CV.
*****
ARMSTRONG STATE UNIVERSITY, SAVANNAH, GA
Adjunct Instructor, 09/1993 to Present
Taught Chemistry survey courses (CHEM1151, CHEM1151) and associated lab courses. Coordinated lecture and lab schedules to enhance learning. Designed and coordinated online homework assignments with lecture for maximum student benefit. In 1995, PIONEERED the teaching of chemistry in the long-distance learning program. Temporary Full-time Instructor from 2010 to 2013.
*****
I've capitalized the word of interest, as well as highlighted it, for your ease of locating it in the passage.

"Okay, got it."

Here is the point I was making. Last week, all of the faculty in our department had to submit updated CV's (i.e., resumes for teachers) to Dr. Lynch, for him to submit to those in charge of the consolidation efforts. Amazingly, even the CV's of part-time (adjunct) faculty were to be included. In accordance, I sent mine in... and he read it. Amazingly, he even saw fit to make sure I knew that he had read it, by using a word that I would be willing to bet is unique to my CV.

"Yeah, I think you're pretty safe with that bet. I doubt any chemistry professor has ever used that description before."

It truly is pretty nifty, as well as an apt descriptor of what I did: I went before, preparing the way for others to follow.

"And did anyone do so?"

Sadly, not in the Chem & Phys department. We do offer some online courses, but those are few. No one, however, has ever duplicated what I have done by teaching in front of two classes simultaneously, one in person and one via video, taking care to divide my 'live' time between both classes. That meant traveling down to Brunswick several times, but it certainly kept the students involved!

"Good for you! And now you're leading the way with your invention, too, aren't you?"

I certainly am. I do hope my Periodic Table will be available for the fall classes!
I truly do.

the axe man and the teen idol

Over the past two weeks, death by dementia claimed two rockers from my youth.
At least, that's how the reports of their deaths read.
Both were only in their sixties...

David Cassidy died last Wednesday, at 67, of liver failure.
This photo is of him as he was
in the early 1970's,
at the height of his time
as a teen idol of mine.
As the actual lead singer
of "The Partridge Family",
his melodious voice -
and his good looks -
fueled many a dream
during my middle school years.
The sweet, poppy rock songs
were just perfect for me
as a young teen.
Then, in high school,
I got my GE Wildcat turntable...

...and discovered the world
of garage rock and roll -
and the music of AC/DC,
with all its rhythm-driven songs
written by Malcolm Young,
a guitar man from down under
with muscled arms.
Malcolm has now died at age 64,
just a few days before David.
He had stopped touring with the band a few years ago,
no longer trusting his songs,
or his finger strokes,
to his memory.
The guitar he long ago modified
for his songs lives on.
So do the many, many songs he
and his brother gave to the world.
You
Shook Me
All Night Long.

potato peeler in tall'ee

See that great lovely bowl that's slap-dap filled
with mashed potatoes?
Well, I helped with that!
Penny had told me she'd put me to work when I came down for Thanksgiving and she was true to her word.
Those potatoes started out as two huge bags of
white potatoes before I peeled them.
Well, I can't take credit for all of it - Alex helped, too.

That's Alex there in the middle,
between his dad (Steve)
and his older brother (Jacob).
They were sitting at the table
straight across from me.
(The table settings, by the way,
were arranged by yours truly,
with some assistance again from Alex.)

My blue-sky Penny was sitting to my left,
just a chair or so over,
with her brother (cousin Bobby)
and their mom (my Aunt Linda)
making up the head of the table,
so to speak.
We had four tables strung together
to accommodate the sixteen diners!


Steve's Dad (Lee) and stepmom (Judy) were there. Then we had Judy's brother, his wife, their daughter, and his daughter (Melanie) from his first marriage. Steve's brother (Mike) and his charming wife (Michelle), as well as cousin Bobby's wife (Alicia) rounded out the folks there on Thanksgiving for the midday feast.
I had driven down the day before, ferrying Boo to her cousin Penny's house, too. (She had said her cousin was in Tallahassee, but she was actually in Quincy, in the woods, in a little farmhouse.) I fetched her from there, spending a bit of time with her Penny and Ken, before heading back to Savannah earlier today.
Between my arrival and departure I had a very special treat: the Eagle Scout ceremony for my cousin Penny's elder son! As you may recall, I had sent financial support for his project. Yesterday (Friday), we celebrated his achievement and I was even able to see his finished project for myself!
(smile)
What a blessing to have been there to help Penny prepare for both occasions!
What a blessing to have been able to spend time with my Aunt Linda!
What a blessing to have been there for happy gatherings!
i thank You, God!

two brothers, one day

I've only a few minutes ago gotten back into my house.
I've been locked out since just past 5 PM. I had thought I was going to usher tonight for the Bolshoi Ballet's presentation of "The Taming Of The Shrew", a film at the Lucas Theatre.
Instead, as soon as I my front door closed behind me, I knew I had locked myself out. I checked my right front pocket three times, just to be sure it was empty.
It was.
Fortunately, I had my phone in my left front pocket. I called Smitty at his house... no answer, so I told the machine what I needed. Then I tried what I thought was his cell phone. No answer, no ability to leave a message. I texted Mary, in case he was with her, then waited for a response... on my porch...with no shawl and the evening cooling rapidly.
Drats.
I texted the bfe, as he still has a key. No response.
Drats.
I texted my first niece, as she has a key. She and her German had been at the Jacksonville Zoo and were just leaving.
Drats.
I texted the peace Guy, in case he might be in town. Nope, not this weekend.
Drats.
I texted NJ Joe and Carolyn, hoping one of them was at the Lucas. Joe was not, but he did contact Katie, the House Manager that night and let her know of my situation. No response from Carolyn.
Drats.
Mary called me! They were at dinner and were on their salad course, but they would be right to me afterward. I told them to take their time, that I was still hoping to hear back from the physicist.
And I waited, hands shoved deeply in pants pockets, back against the sun-warmed bricks of my front porch, watching the darkening sky, glad to have my porch light on.
I knew what had caused me to forget my rule to have my keys in the door before closing it.
I had been thinking again about my abruptly-ended visit with Tony earlier and the change in my plans.
Knowing I was assigned to usher tonight, and that I had told Tony I would come visit him at the Transitional Center this afternoon, I had devised the 'perfect' plan. Visit my youngest brother until that time ended, bounce over the the Jepson Center until it closed, and then head over to the Lucas. If I timed it right, I could maybe even have an ice cream before my shift began!
And so I showed up at CTC, dressed in my ushering garb, hair in a side ponytail. Tony was surprised to see me dressed up and commented on how nice I looked.
(smile)
Sadly, the visit went straight downhill after that. We were talking about addictions, and he waxed rhapsodic about how he got started on crack and what a rush that drug was.
Say what?
I talked about nicotine being a hard drug to give up, too. That's when he looked at me and said, "I just can't believe the stupid stuff that comes out of your mouth sometimes."
Seriously.
And something inside me snapped.
That derisive comment was just one of several he had lobbed in my direction since he's returned to Savannah, but it was definitely the last one I wanted to ever hear.
I very calmly told him, "Tony, I'm leaving. No one speaks to me like that and I'm not going to put up with it from you. You've been rude to me several times and I'm done for the day."
He was shocked, but he rose, returned my hug, and then stood in the visitation doorway while I retrieved my drivers license and signed out.
I think Asst. Superintendent Locke was also surprised that I was leaving so soon.
He asked nothing, though.
Smart man.
He had led the Visitation Orientation on Friday and spoken to me and Smitty and Tony afterward. He has been helping these men transition for more than twenty years and probably has a very good idea of which will be successful... and which will be part of the 67% returning to prison.
I'd like to have an honest talk with him about Tony.

I had such a talk with Smitty when he and Mary came to my rescue tonight.
i thank You, God, not only for the rescue, but for the two of us siblings talking frankly about the youngest brother.
Smitty definitely feels that Tony has been 'pushing' us since his return to this town. Smitty had rushed around last week to the stores, buying him clothes and sundries and work boots and a cell phone, even though Tony was not supposed to be able to get any of that stuff until he moved from Phase One to Phase Two. That transition was to occur after twenty-eight days at the CTC, but Tony was sure he would be transitioned early.
Tony was wrong and Smitty was quite put out that he had taken time away from work - and spent three hundred dollars - on stuff which would sit in a box until the end of the month.
Of course, that's if Tony proceeds on schedule.
My concern is the anger and bitterness I saw in the photo of him upon his arrival at Autry, more than a month ago. That anger and bitterness is still there, tainting his attitude... threatening to spoil his future.
Please, God, give him strength to ask for help with that anger.
Now is the time, with the resources and people right there at the CTC.
Please, God, also give patience to all of us.
This has been a long journey and we are all anxious for it to draw to a favorable close.
i thank You, God, for the patience - and the love - to have traveled this far.

thadeus, are we good dogs now?

I had arrived just in time for the the beginning of "The Star".
I had chosen it because I seem to be on a Christmas kick this week... go figure.
(smile)
Besides the radio hour play on Sunday, I've also seen "A Bad Moms Christmas" a week or so ago.
Then, on Tuesday, it was "Daddy's Home 2", with Mel Gibson being the odd man out when it came to singing.
(Bless his heart, he can't carry a tune in a bucket, but he certainly did try.)
In case you're counting, that makes three Christmas-themed movies and one Christmas play.
I'm definitely getting into the holiday spirit!
In the animated film this afternoon, a beastly hunter has his two snarly beasts hot on the trail of Mary and Joseph, and nearly caught up with them, had not a donkey gotten in the way. In a struggle to keep from falling, the hunter drops his companions toward certain doom. However, it is the hunter who plummets to his death, as the donkey has saved the two curs, Thadeus and Rufus.
Soon, the animals are gathered in the stable to admire the new-born babe. The two beasts approach timidly, and the donkey waves them in.
That's when the not-so-bad Rufus asks his question.
Thadeus replies, "We have to try."
I nearly cried, it was such a poignant moment for me.
You see, Smitty and I had attended the Visitor Orientation this afternoon at the Transitional Center.
There, Assistant Superintendent Locke had thoroughly explained the regulations and our roles in helping our loved ones re-enter society.
We observed two families - one white, one black - sitting near us who clearly did not understand that they were to set a good role model to insure their incarcerated family member would never have to return here.
I feel for those two young men.
Without the support of law-abiding loved ones, without good attitudes to envelop them, they'll be part of the sixty-seven percent of those who return to prison.
Their families do not understand how important this transition from prison is. It's as if they thought their sons were being released from county lock-up, one more time, nothing new.
How very sad.
The onus will be completely on those young men to choose a right path and make good choices.
I pray that God will help them find that path and stay on it.
Please, God, help them, help Tony, help us.
i thank You, God.

sally and the gender-neutrals

This semester, I started doing something differently with my word problems in lecture.
Instead of general wording with no people involved, I added characters.
For example, here is the way the problems once appeared.
"A bicycle was ridden at 17 miles per hour for 88.3 minutes.
How far, in kilometers, did the bike travel?"
This time around, there was a cyclist.
"Sally rode her bicycle for 88.3 minutes, traveling at 17 miles per hour.
How far did Sally pedal?"
My students at Armstrong came to refer to her as Sally Chemistry.
(smile)

Sally became my assistant in lectures after Hurricane Irma.
A bit of levity was needed, as well as a more personal approach to problem-solving.
She wasn't the only one helping out, not at all.
Sometimes Joe or Jimmy or Tim came forth.
Those were all names which didn't match any of my students...
safe names for characters who needed a bit of help solving word problems.
I may have mentioned, perhaps once, that the name Sally was special to me, as she was my favorite character - my hero - in "Nightmare Before Christmas". Why? Because she is always willing to lend a hand... or an arm... or a leg.
(smile!)

For the past few weeks, I've added some new names.
We've been studying solutions: concentrations, solubility, acids, bases, salts.
Perhaps the fluid nature of the material lent itself toward gender-neutral characters.
(Get it? It can be our inside joke!)
Kelly, Stacy, Kim, Tracy... all had a chance to help out in lecture.
Of course, Pat did, too.
But I know my favorite - and the class's pet - is still Sally.
I'm going to miss that gal when the semester ends in two weeks.
Maybe she'll come along for labs in Chem1152.
I know the students will enjoy seeing her again, as will I.
(smile)

such a wonderful life!

Even if I had been blind, the performances of the five people would have more than brought the story home.
That was the whole point of this particular production, in fact.
"It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" was quintessential storytelling, the very heart and soul of the Savannah Stage Company, distilled into its essence for this final "Season of Values" showstopper.
I am so blessed to have been there!
I found myself closing my eyes throughout much of the story, letting the characters do the talking instead of the actors.
Of course, I know this one by heart, as it is a Christmas favorite.
No... it is a Christmas necessity.
And, at the end of today's show, I was in full-tilt tears, as is always the case with me and this story.
As I told Wesley Pridgen, in the director's chair for the very first time, he "did it right".
(smile)
So did the cast of five, bringing into existence a town's worth of characters.
Yes, indeed, it was a stellar broadcast for WBFR in tiny Bedford Falls!
There were even two singing commercials - you know how I enjoy those!
(smile)
The five on stage for the entirety of this two-act play were Bryan Pridgen, Ashley Cook, Christian I. Noble, McKenna Lyons, and Nathan Houseman. Between them, the five radio actors they inhabited breathed into existence George and Mary Bailey and their four children, Uncle Billy, George's dad and George's mom and George's kid brother, Mary's mom, the pharmacist, the cab driver, the cop, the saloon owner and the bartender, the plastics investor, and the town flirt. Oh, and also God, as well as that Angel 2nd Class, Clarence, with his tattered Mark Twain book.
Wow.
Afterward, we were off to the announcement party for the 2018 season. Can you believe there was sushi?! I very much enjoyed that!
At the silent auction, I made sure to start the bidding on several items, not really thinking I might win any of them... but I did!
When all was said and done, I walked off with a virtual Golden Ticket for all productions in their 2018 "Fall In Love Again" season!!! How about that??? What a fabulous gift for me!
What plays will they have?
Well, they'll be performing "(it)'s B.I.G. The Improv Musical" for some comedy showcase. I'll definitely be there for that! I hope it will have several days of running, as I would love to see the variations. This year, I only managed to catch one of the four shows... but it was certainly tailor-made for an ocean-lover like me!
i thank You, God!
The other three plays for this upcoming year are: "The Red Badge of Courage", dedicated to military folks, past and present; "Tuck Everlasting", dedicated to the many seniors they perform to in retirement communities; and "Cabaret", dedicated to all lovers in tumultuous times.
It's going to be an interesting new year, folks - glad I'll be along for the ride!
My thanks for the Savannah Stage Company - i continue to be so very proud of y'all!
i thank You, God, for bringing them into my life.
(smile)

golems and saviours

JavaFlix Savannah had its monthly meeting this evening and there were ten of us to view "The Limehouse Golem", a British film set in Victorian times. I had cast my votes for it last week for two reasons. First, it was a murder-mystery wrapped around a tale similar to that of Jack the Ripper and akin to the tales of Sherlock Holmes. Second, it seemed to have a theatrical troupe as an integral component to the plot. All in all, it seemed to be tailor-made for me.
And it was.
And if you wish to avoid knowing too much of it, you should stop reading now.
...
...
...
I was fascinated by the tale. Although it was a bit gory at times, the story was told in imaginative vignettes, flashing from childhood history of Elizabeth Cree, to scenes of murder as envisaged by a series of accused men, to the trial of Cree for murdering her husband, to skits performed by the troupe. So many puzzle pieces to fit into each other - I so enjoyed it! My analytical mind ate it up, as you well know.
There was a nice bit on feminism mixed in there, too. Cree was a lovely young woman, with long curly tresses and a sweet face. She had determined that all men wanted but two things of her: to be her sex partner or to be her saviour from the harsh life she had.
The only man who had not wanted either of those roles was Dan Leno, the cross-dressing comedian famous for his biting satires onstage. He had given her a job with his troupe, seeing her enthusiasm for acting and perhaps something more - a kinship with his gender bending, perhaps.
Or, that is certainly what I maintained when it came time to discuss the film.
Cree had found her sanctuary in the theatre. There, she was free to speak as she wished, to be treated as a person and not just as a woman. She especially enjoyed dressing as a man for some of the skits... and the audience lauded her for her talent.
Then came John Cree, a man who fancied himself her saviour prior to their marriage. Then he became her rapist afterward. She resorted to hiring a woman in the troupe to serve as his concubine, the same woman who had been enamoured of the man throughout his pursuit of Elizabeth. Apparently, Elizabeth was not familiar with the phrase "a woman scorned", as this actress deliberately sabotaged her act on more than one occasion. In particular, the woman had asked Cree if she wanted a welcoming phrase to utter to the Jewish audience - and instead gave her the Hebrew words for wishing the people "a sudden death", resulting in booing and angry exits. Not good.
However, Elizabeth was a quick study. She created of herself a golem, a creature which could be "be victim or villain, Jew or non-Jew, man or woman—or sometimes both." What better role for this asexual person? To make sure the press would glom onto her chosen moniker, she staged the scene of the murdered old Jewish man with his book open to the picture of the Golem... and his tongue on the page as a bookmark.
Everyone was sure the perpetrator of the gruesome crimes was a man, of course. And when her husband turned up dead from poison, the aging detective sought to save Elizabeth from the gallows by proving that her husband had been the murderer and that she had found out and killed him.
We are led around by the nose along with the detective as he follows one lead after another, with time drawing Cree ever closer to the noose. Then we find that the entire dance has been orchestrated by Elizabeth, with her tossing the clues as breadcrumbs, allowing the detective to become engrossed with trying to have her freed. All the while, she had a different endgame in mind: the fame of infamy. She was the murderer and wanted the world to know, she wanted to be the headliner that no one would forget.
What more could the detective do when smacked in the face by her confession? Reveal her as the murderess and himself as the fool who had missed the truth for so long? Or allow her time for clemency to run out and the gallows to claim her?
Such an excellent film!
Such an excellent discussion afterward!
My thanks to Patrick, Sara, Lainie and Michael, Glen, Kal, and Meredith... and to all who, like myself, had voted for this one last month.
i thank You, God, for this fine evening!
Not that it's over - oh, no!
I'm off to my free Veterans Day meal at Applebee's now.
I'd had a very nice free meal at Bonefish Grill earlier today, after washing bedding. Just the Bang Bang Shrimp was to have been free for me, but the manager also comp'ed my Bonefish House Salad. Woohoo!
i thank You, God, that i am a veteran of the US Navy.

craving brains, with a side of humor

When I stopped watching, they were clutched together, kissing in a way that always means the bed is next.

"Say what? Having a bit of a go as a voyeur?"

No, not me, but I think the mortician qualifies as one.

"The who do what?"

Ravi, the lead Medical Examiner for the city. His British raj demeanour surely cloaks a voyeur, though he passes it off as scientific curiosity. Otherwise, why would he have watched her working beside him for several months before he acknowledged her malady, milady?

"He did what?? Tell me this is a tv show. Please."

Oh, it most assuredly is on television. Well, actually, I'm watching it courtesy of the bfe's netflix account...

"You're talking about "iZombie", aren't you?"

Ding, ding, ding! Folks, we have a winner!
(smile)
For the record, though, the show is titled "iZOMBiE".

"Ha ha ha."

Yeah, I'm a hoot! Just ask my owl!

(smile) "So, tell me: how many episodes have you seen now?"

Well, I've seen all of Season 1, and am up through Episode 4 of Season 2. So... that makes seventeen total, with me having a binge of seven episodes during the last two days.

"Oh... my... God..."

I tend to agree. I have no idea how many more I would have voraciously consumed had not Liv ended up in a fierce embrace with Major. All I could think was... well, you know.

"No, 'fraid not. I've been busy with other things. Sorry."

(Exasperatedly) Her body knows his body and his body knows her body, right?

"I have no idea what..."

Okay, listen up, buttercup. Liv and Major were engaged in the first episode. Then she went to a boat party and got turned into a zombie and broke off the engagement, no explanation to him, though she was clearly a changed woman.
Now, it's a year later. She turned him into a zombie to 'save' his life, but he objected to being made a brain-eater so she gave him a cure dosage that she was saving for herself.
They've been a bit distant ever since. In the intervening time, he's become a zombie killer for the company that makes Max Rager, an energy drink that has a nasty side effect of - surprise - causing folks to go berserk and kill others.
(It's an inside joke. Look at the name of the drink again.)
To cope with his new job, Major has become a drug addict on Utopian. Just before showing up that night on her doorstep, he'd scored some "U"... but it wasn't just some dealer who gave it to him. It was one of the kids he had once helped get off drugs at the teen halfway house where he was a counselor.
Ouch.

"Whoa. Pretty harsh, dudette. I can see why he went to her seeking solace."

Indeed. He had greeted her with the plea, "I need help." How could she, a once rising young doctor, as well as his former lady love, turn him away?
So.
I have turned off the tv and will soon go to bed.
A bit of distance is needed for me to process these episodes from today's haul.
I must say, though - I sure do enjoy this show. Much as I had used "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" for post-divorce therapy, this series is a working to give me space to heal again.
Here's another thing - there's quite a similarity to "Quantum Leap", a how I had loved, as well as "Strange Luck" and "Early Edition". Seriously, "iZOMBiE" is much like "Quantum Leap", with brains in lieu of a Project Accelerator (aka 'time machine').

"Seriously."

Yes. As we know from "Warm Bodies", a zombie gets access to a person's memories (R called them 'dreams') while munching on their brains. The brains that Liv has access to are those that have ended up in a morgue. So, when she eats them, she can have 'visions' that help Detective Babineaux find their killers.
As a side effect of brain consumption, Liv develops the habits and talents of the dead folks. One day she's a country singer "Even Cowgirls Get The Black And Blues"). Another, she's a bigoted old coot (Grumpy Old Liv"). Then she got all motherly ("Maternity Liv") after being an oversexed painter ("Brother, Can You Spare A Brain?").
I really do enjoy all the puns, too.
Oh, and the graphic-novel styling of the breaks in each episode.
Believe me, I will go back to my viewings... I'm just taking a little break.
I'm not quite well yet, ya know.
(smile)

bollywood ghost story

"Golmaal Again" was not our typical Indian fare.
Yes, it had dancing!
Yes, it had singing!
Yes, it had comedy galore!
Yes, it had lost of luscious men!
Yes, it had romance!
However, it also had a story of a greedy land developer who had killed his fiancee when she had discovered that he had killed the owner of the orphanage...
the orphanage at which she had been raised...
with her five brothers from other mothers...
who find themselves coming to her 'rescue'
to save their childhood home.
Carolyn and I loved every minute of it!
Now, I must stop playing hooky and grade tests.
(smile)

nice to be seen

That's how our conversation ended, with him saying "nice to be seen".

"Him who? And where was this, anyway? More information, please!"

You're not going to believe this. Remember me saying that I had run into Ed DeVita at the baseball game a few months back?

"Sure, I recall that. Man, it had been a few years since you last saw him. He was the friend of Jeff's who was supposed to video your wedding, but forgot to charge the battery, right?"

Ha! I had forgotten that gem! Yep, that's him.

"So, how is it that you and he were talking now?"

He had called me - last month? - about him cleaning up his phone contacts list and running across my number. Odd, but okay, as we've known each other for more than two decades. Since 1991, in fact.

"And now you're conversing on a regular basis?"

No, actually. I had returned the call, but heard nothing more until this morning, around ten o'clock. He had some appointment that had fallen through and wondered if we could meet for lunch. I told him I could not, as I was due at Armstrong at noon to give a make-up test to a student. (I'm waiting now for her to finish.) He rang off, then called back, asking if he could come over and talk.

Right eyebrow raised quizzically.

Yeah, definitely odd, but I figured why not? So, I get dressed and am ready at the door when he arrives. We sit at the dining room table...

"Not on the couch?"

Nope, I wanted to have a chair between us. After all, no sense in getting too comfortable, right? I knew I would soon be leaving.

"Sure, sure. And...?"

And we talked. Well, mostly he talked. Catching up about Jeff, catching up about his son Dusty - who is now a quarter of a century! - catching up. Then he finally go to the point of his coming over.

"I thought there must have been a reason for him to so urgently need to see you. He's in love with you after all these years?"

Oh, please. I didn't get that vibe from him... I don't think. Then again, he was at my house for an hour or so. In fact, I was a little late getting to the school because we were talking and not watching the time...

"You've wandered off topic, dear. Why was he there?"

He has Parkinson's disease. He was diagnosed with it last year and had been in denial about it. Now, he takes some new regimen of pills, even though they throw him off his game a bit. He was telling me that he's hoping for the best. But he also told me that he doesn't want his grandson to remember him as 'the helpless, drooling, old man in the wheelchair" and that he won't let that happen.

"Wow. That sounds like he would be taking matters into his own hands to curtail his life, didn't it?"

That's certainly how I understood it.
Then I caught sight of the kitchen clock when I got him a glass of water and everything became very rushed after that. I gathered up my things and hustled him to the door, but I did give him a very nice hug, much like those that Hai once gave me.
I thanked him for coming by and told him it was nice to see him again... and then he replied "nice to be seen".
I got the impression he spends a lot of time alone.
Maybe I'll contact him about a movie sometime. He had voiced an interest in "Thor: Ragnarok", so maybe our schedules will sync.
Then again, maybe he had simply wanted me to know what was going on with him, should he suddenly die or something.
I'll have to see if Jeff is aware of what's going on with Ed.

"That would be a good idea. Another one is to pay attention to your test-taking student in the next cubicle."

Absolutely!
Later!
i thank You, God, that i was home when i needed to be.
Right place, right time.

free breakfast from free dinner

How lovely to have
a free meal this morn!
Chicken marsala,
roasted potatoes with crispy chips,
and a soft and flaky dinner roll,
alongside my cup of coffee...
and Elvis,
of course.

I dined on the same foods -
minus the coffee -
last night at the 70th Anniversary of the
Student Veterans of America celebration.
My dinner guest was this lovely red beta -
so charming and polite and thrilled to be with me!
He even sang "One" to me - bet you didn't know those fish could sing!
()smile

I really did not mind having a table to myself.
I think of it as
my keeping company
with the spirit of the MIA/POW person
at the empty table.
Both of us had our thoughts
to entertain us through the meal.
Very nice, actually.

The guest speaker, Jared Lyons, was the only other former sailor in the room.
In this Army-dominated town that was no surprise.
He regaled us with the history of the organization, then discussed the recent six-year study that found military students, whether active duty or veteran, are only out-performed by international students.
That was no surprise to me.
As I told him, I have seen this for more than twenty years with my students.

What did surprise me was seeing Linda Bleicken jumping out of an airplane!
Phil Gore, host for this event, showed us a videoclip of her performing a tandem jump.
She truly is so amazing!

Now, pardon me, but I have class to attend...
Later!

film festival? already done, thanks

I didn't go downtown to a single film for the Savannah Film Festival this year.
Believe it or not, that's true.
Me, the one who once planned on a week of vacation to make sure not a single film block in the mornings and afternoons would be missed.
Why the big change?
Programming changes on their part, really.
For the past few years, the folks at SCAD who plan the festival's offerings have been slipping, showing movies that hit the mainstream cinemas rather than films we would never otherwise see.
This year, the 20th year of the Savannah Film Festival, had twenty full-length movies that have either already played in the local multiplex cinemas or will be screened in them in the next few months.
Let's go through the SFF schedule, shall we?
On the opening day, which was Saturday a week ago, the SFF had "The Big Sick" in the afternoon and "Molly's Game" in a prime evening slot. I had already seen the former and will see the latter in another month, at a southside cinema.
For the last Sunday in October - the final day of the God on Broadway series at my church - I had no trouble this year deciding where I would be. The SFF had "Logan" in the morning at church time; as you may recall, I had the pleasure of seeing that one twice already during the spring. The afternoon was filled with "Beatriz At Dinner" and "Battle of The Sexes" - both already viewed at the AMC theaters.
Sunday evening did feature two which I have not yet seen. However, both "Mudbound" and "The Florida Project" have had trailers on the local screens, so they're coming soon.
Monday, October 30, was a school day for me, so it didn't matter.
The same can be said for the first day of November. That day, they showed "Lady Bird", which has had several trailers and will be viewable at the regualr cinemas by the end of this month.
What about Halloween? Well, they proffered "LBJ" that afternoon; good movie, seen yesterday at the Carmike with Carolyn. "Frankenstein" - screened that evening - was the same NTL production screened at the Lucas recently. Another evening offering was "Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool", due for mainstream viewing by the end of this month.
That means eleven of the twenty non-rarity movies were shown at Savannah Film Festival screenings in the first five days. That left only three days for them to screen the other nine mainstream movies... which they did.
Last Thursday brought us "Detroit" (which I had abstained from viewing in August), "The Shape of Water" (which will arrive in December), and "Downsizing" (also due in December). No worries, I can wait for them!
Friday morning held "Wonderstruck", with "Good Time" following closely.
The final day of the SFF was Saturday, coinciding with race day, as it has for most of the last seven years. No worries, though. No reason to try to venture downtown to see either "War For The Planet of the Apes" or "Gifted" again, both seen months ago. I might have liked viewing "Norman" one more time - Richard Gere being simply fabulous in it, but that was in the afternoon and I needed a nap!
And the last film of the SFF, this 8-day event which is supposed to celebrate novelty and risk-taking creativity? "Darkest Hour", the film about Winston Churchill, due in a couple of weeks at nearly every cinema in town.
I'm not saying that Gary Oldman vehicle won't be an excellent movie, not at all.
I just miss being in on movies like "Butter", which never, ever hit a mainstream screen.
Well, there's always next year's Savannah Film Festival. I will hope for the best!

all saints sunday

I usually avoid this service at Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church.
Honestly, I cannot think of the last time I came for this occasion.
But I was there this morning.
I had even visited Tony at the Transitional Center beforehand, being sure to inform him that church was very important for me today. I even watched the clock, leaving right after 10:30 AM. (That means we only had an hourlong visit, but it was so nice and relaxed - very good for both of us! Such a different environment there - i thank You, God!)

So, why was it so very important for me to attend church today?
Was it for the BIG Coffee Hour, with its socializing and bountiful lunch?
No, although I must admit to enjoying that post-service treat.
Was it for the ritual of Communion and its sharing of faith?
Well, not really, even though that was particularly satisfying today.
Perhaps it was to welcome the new members to this congregation?
Honestly, I had not really noticed that was on the agenda.

I was there to publicly acknowledge to my church family the losses I've had this year.
To make sure I did so, I sat in the very first row, by the piano and the choir.
I owe many thanks to Rev. Billy Hester for intuiting why I was there. After all, he knew of my niece's death in April, no doubt because John and my niece Molly were there for her, too. He no doubt noticed that I had no flowers and encouraged me to select some from the table in the narthex.
And so I did... for her and for my five friends and extended family who have died in 2017.

For my niece, Jean Marie Morgan, the spray of yellow baby chrysanthemums.
For my dear karaoke "mom", Jerry Wiley, the delicate iris.
For my outlaw Grandma Beauty, Terrie Rondeau, the bold and rich purple zinnias.
For my laundress' husband, Reed Deschenes, the quartet of new green mums.
For my first niece's Grandpa, David Johnson, the matching spray right next to it.
For my friend from my youth, Eric Newton, the foursome of dark red zinnias.

I feel better now.
Saying their names aloud and submitting the flowers for inclusion into vases to brighten others' lives felt like one of the most right things I could have done to honor them.
Jean Marie's can be heard here, at time stamp 11:40.
The names of my other family and friends can be heard here, at time stamp 2:44.
That was definitely the right place, at the right time.
i thank You, God.

Soon, I will meet up with Carolyn for "LBJ".
Friday night, she and I had dined at Sweet Potatoes, then ventured over to Spotlight Cinema for "A Bad Moms Christmas". We had both been a bit trepidacious about the movie, but let me tell you: we loved it! We laughed and laughed and I even shed a few tears. She and I both had fabulous, loving mothers, but we have known so many girlfriends with such bad relationships with their moms. In other words, this movie rang true.
Actually, if I had realized it was an H.Brothers productions, I would have known it would be good. I'll be sure to watch more of the films vouchsafed by this Korean company.
Now, I have another film to see with Carolyn.
What a lovely way to spend this afternoon!

elvis needs boats, elvis needs boats

Not really, but that silly song that proclaimed "Elvis Is Everywhere" popped into my head, so go ahead, go take a listen.
I'll be right here when you return - I will!
*
*
*
Now, let me tell you the truth of the matter.
Elvis needed water today and I was right there to give it to him - I was!

See, I told you so!
(smile)
Gotcha!
This is me with Reverend Billy Hester, at the church at the intersection of E. Henry Street and Waters Avenue. This was taken just after his stint as The King in last Sunday's production of "Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". I truly love his God on Broadway sermons and that one, on reconciliation, was truly a sign that I was at the right place, at the right time.
i thank You, God!

But that is not the Elvis of which I speak.
Today, during the seventh year of the Rock'n'Roll Marathon Series in Savannah, two variations of Elvis Presley ran past the intersection of E. Henry Street and Waters Avenue. I was part of the Mile 10 Water Station tasked with slaking the thirst of the many runners as they proceeded on their quest.

Now, then, most of these folks were not Asburians, like me. In fact, there may have been eight of us, total. Maybe.
But Miss Virginia was one of them! I worked right beside her most of the time, too!

We were far from alone, though.
A Boy Scout troop was ride alongside!
The Future Business Leaders of America group at one of the schools helped out, too!
There were some other students from another school group, but there was one child that stood out.
Steven Cowart, middle school student now, son of my friend Susan.
When she'd returned to Okinawa and needed help, she asked me to come along. None of her family wanted the free trip, but she knew I had loved being on that island. My trip was free in return for my tending her youngest, Steven, while she handled the three-year-old.
And here my 'little bird' was, looking almost grown.
Of course I introduced myself to him!
This photo has the 95-years-young Virginia surrounded by all the children.
The child I cooed whale song to is the redhead in the back row, on the right.
(smile)

I'm sure you wondered how we kept our energy up, right?
After all, our shift began at 6:15 AM - the sun wasn't even up yet.
We were graced with a rock and roll band that were soooo good!
Everchange not only played a wide mix of songs, but they played a lot of songs I knew!
I was singing and dancing and moving the cups in my hands to the tunes!
Thanks, y'all!

A little more than five hours later, the last runners of the marathon and half-marathon had passed us by, with many of them taking the little paper cups of water from our hands.
Many of them thanked us for volunteering, too.
That was very nice!
The "Race Crew" T-shirt, cap, and tote bag were nice, too!

Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm taking a nap.
I had a nice lunch at Jalapenos with Kevin - he'd run the half-marathon, but we somehow missed seeing each other. He insisted that he had spoken with both of the Elvis runners and told them about me. For real!
(smile)
That's been the first time we've seen each other since I got weird.
Nice to have that in the past.
Did we talk about that?
No, of course not.
He talked about his retirement investments and eBay sales.
I talked about watching "iZombie" on the bfe's netflix account and the correlations to "Warm Bodies" and to "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". I told him I'd seen "Frankenweenie" and was wanting to watch "ParaNorman", but On Demand had already pulled it. Netflix didn't have it, but they did have "iZombie", of which I'd seen an episode or two, but didn't know anything about it. So far, I've watched five episodes, I told him, and really like it!
(I think he was incredulous that I liked those two television series. He had this look of amusement on his face!)
We also talked a little about Tony and his new move to the Transition Center, at last.
All in all, very satisfying visit... and a 'budget-cut hug' afterward.
Very satisfying.
i thank You, God.

not my 50th

When you understand why something really hurts, Faustina, it stops hurting.

When you understand you have options, you take action.

And when you get that no one can ever stop you from loving more, you feel the love you had earlier denied.

It’s time to get it on,
The Universe

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Sometimes it takes a brilliant ray of light for me to see the invisible tree.
This time around, it was a phone call.
I went from 'life is hard' to life is wonderful' within an hour.
I thought the change might have been because Tony had been transferred.
While that was a contributing factor, it wasn't the primary one.
Sure, I had been very concerned about his transfer to another prison, lower security though it was. I knew he was bitterly disappointed that he had not yet been transferred to a transitional center, that he was still in the prison system. I had seen the photo taken of him upon arrival to Autry and I could see the hurt and the anger in his face.
I was so very concerned that he might snap and jeopardize his chance of going to a transitional center, that he might have to spend the rest of his sentence there in Pelham... or back at Hays.
(shudder)
That was my impetus for the birthday card campaign. I wanted him to have proof in his hands that he was loved as he turned fifty. I wanted those cards to serve as a wave of love, ferrying him to an island of calm.
I realized this morning, with today's message from the Universe, that some deeper concern was behind that act of sisterly concern.
I had not wanted his 50th birthday to be as heartbreaking as mine had been.
I had long looked forward to attaining my half-century mark.
I envisaged a three-day celebration, much like for my 40th birthday. For that one, I'd had the private day of celebration with my husband on the Friday - very nice! Saturday saw a big evening party at our house, filled with friends from my past, his past, and our past - hooray! On the third day, we hosted an afternoon cookout for all of the family - what joy to have so many nieces and nephews there, too!
Then he and I had divorced... and I was 49.
As my birthday neared in 2008, that first year after the loss of my marriage, I became increasingly anxious. What to do to celebrate? Where to go? Who to accompany me?
My body decided to rebel from the stress. By the time of my birthday in May, I found myself increasingly in abdominal distress, with much cramping and diarrhea. Then I noticed that I had a disturbing bulge all around my waist, a painful and puffy swelling.
I freaked out.
My grandpa had died of pancreatic cancer and I was scared the same fate awaited me.
Fortunately, the timing was in my favor. My annual visit to Dr. Peggy Byck allowed for me to discuss the matter with her without need for a separate appointment. She referred me to a gastroenterologist, Dr. Edward Rydzak, the same one who'd cared for Mama in her final months, granting us an honest talk about her impending death.
I knew he was a caring doctor and felt secure that he would find the problem.
It took all summer. First, I had to wait for an appointment with him. Then came the appointment for an MRI. Then another visit with him to discuss the results. Next was an upper endoscopy, followed by a colonoscopy, each with visits back to the specialist. On the last of these, near the end of my summer, he called me in for a discussion of test results.
He had found a small polyp in my colon and removed it, but it had been benign, so no cause for distress and certainly not the cause of my malady. In fact, none of the tests had shed light on the source of the puffiness and abdominal pain.
He suggested that the next course of action was to investigate food sources which were causing the bloating and diarrhea. He said I should avoid dairy products for the next two weeks and monitor any changes in my bowel habits.
Avoid dairy?!
I drank milk daily, had yogurt daily, had cheese daily. As it was summer, I also had ice cream fairly often. Sour cream was enjoyed with tacos and burritos.
Avoid dairy?!
But I did as he asked.
Within a week, I knew he was correct.
For my fiftieth birthday, my body had given me a gift for forever: lactose intolerance.
Oh, joy.
My summer of birthday had been spent at home, afraid to go on vacation, afraid of the future.
Well, hell.
At least it was better than what my body gave me for my 49th birthday.

By the end of 2008, I had taken a cue from Superman Sam and joined the League of Savannah Bloggers, creating my own personal beach in a sea of ether waves.
This place has been a refuge as well as a place of contemplation, just as the real sea shores are for me.
I am grateful to have a place to sort my thoughts...
to make sense of my actions...
to realize that my disappointment with a birthday was still a sore spot in my psyche...
but no longer.
The waves have cast the emotional remnants far out to sea, dispersing the pain and disappointment into minute specks to drown in its depths.
i thank You, God.

you don't know who this is, do you

I had picked up the phone to answer a call from 706 number unknown to me.
I said hello, he said hello... but no sales pitch followed.
Instead, he said, "You don't know who this is, do you?"
"I don't think so," I replied, rather listlessly.
"It's your little brother. I'm in Savannah."
Oh, my dear God!!!
It was Tony!!!
His transfer to a Transitional Center had finally occurred!!!
Even better, it was to the one right here.
i thank You, God!

We spoke for eight minutes on the phone he had borrowed.
Then, of course, I called Smitty to share the news.
Hallelujah!!!
He and I spoke for twelve minutes!
He has plans to see Tony on Sunday, during the visitation times.
So do I.
Perhaps we can even get Ronnie on the list to visit him...
that would be grand!
He's working with Ramona, starting tomorrow.
My long-time dream of getting a photo of the four of us 'Smith kids' again is coming closer to becoming reality.
i thank You, God.

I feel better than I have in weeks.
I had not realized how much of my stress was from Tony's transfer to another prison at the beginning of October.
i thank God that phase is over and done.
i thank God.

losing the battle to malaise

General Mal Aze still had me at home on a Thursday afternoon.
I kept thinking I would go to a movie, but here I sit.
I will probably still be here all night.
I simply cannot get motivated to go anywhere or do anything.
The Odd Lot Radio Hour?
No, I don't want to deal with downtown parking this close to race day.
The Tuba and Euphonium concert at Armstrong?
I really don't want to drive all the way out there.
Pre-opening day screening of "Thor: Ragnarok"?
Hmmm... no, not really, not right now.

Damn, girl.

I had come straight home - at 1:30 pm - from my 10:30 AM appointment at the VA clinic with Susan Barker.
She and I had talked about my feeling of abandonment ever since October 10th. She apologized several times, but I was clearly hurt and I was also clearly dismayed that I was not bouncing back.
I told her about all the deaths I have had this year.
I told her about my lack of ability to sustain any enjoyment of life.
She offered to make an appointment with the counselor there, but I had already spent enough time in that building and did not want more.
She offered to prescribe an antidepressant to help bring back my joy. I told her I would rather try natural methods first.
She performed a little massage of my shoulders, my face, my back. Ouch, ouch, and ouch.
She offered to prescribe a mild sleeping pill to help me sleep more peacefully. I declined.
She found that my Vitamin D level was 21 from the blood analysis last week. Apparently, that was cause for alarm, as deficiency of that vitamin/hormone can cause bone aches and depression. She is having the prescription sent to me.
She has also renewed all of my prescriptions so none will be lacking in the future.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

hooray for the Astros!!!

I don't usually pay much attention to the World Series.
Odd, right? Since I'm such a baseball fan?
But I don't care for televised games. They don't show enough of the field for you to really feel that you are there.
Plus, the announcers simply will not shut up.

This year was different.
Perhaps my interest was sparked by Mister Willie.
He was in the hospital, yet again for his heart and this time also his right foot.
I had called to see how he was and he proceeded to talk about his plan to watch the game that night, at least as long as he could.
So, after my evening's plans were done, I tuned in, too.
My intention was to have that as our topic of conversation the next day.

Instead, I found myself drawn in by the trust between a pitcher and a catcher.
After the game, the Astros' pitcher, Brad Peacock, seemed a bit stunned by their win. As he was being interviewed he said he simply placed his faith in his catcher, Brian McCann, and didn't wave off his call even once.
That was Game 3, on Friday, October 27th.

When I called Willie the next day, I found he was home again.
Hooray! We talked a little about the game, but he had folks over so we cut it short.
I watched the first few innings of Game 4 that Saturday night, but it was a scoreless pitchers' duel when I left to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" one last time at the cinema.
From the score, it looked to have gotten exciting that final inning!

Sunday, I had the tv on as soon as I was home from seeing "Nightmare Before Christmas". Game 5 was already well underway and into the bottom half of the fifth inning. The game was tied by the end of the inning! Then came another tie! And after a series of back and forths with the score, and after ten innings of play, and after more than five hours on the field, the Houston Astros came out on top, 13 to 12.
During the post-game interview, the young man said they had been concerned when the Los Angeles Dodgers had scored those three runs in the top of the fifth... but then George Springer had said they should "just play loose" and so that's what they did. Might as well follow the advice of the man who hit three home runs in that game!
What a game! How wonderful for the Houston crowd at the stadium for the home game!
Well worth being up until 1:30 that Monday morning!

Halloween night, I managed to be home to catch the last few innings of Game 6. Honestly, I had hoped the Astros would finish it off, but that's okay. It was a really tight game, with strong pitching on both sides.

Tonight, I had known I would miss much of the game. On Wednesdays, not only do I have an evening lecture, but also a lab that follows it. Nonetheless, I was home in time for the Top of the 4th inning of Game 7.
Wow, the Astros were Houston Strong with five runs!
The Dodgers had none. I actually found myself wanting the Los Angeles team to at least score one run in their home stadium.
They did two innings later.
No more runs were scored by either team in the final three innings.
What a game!

And that's why I have a baseball diamond in my front yard.
(smile)

subliminal colors

Another Wednesday night lab out at Armstrong, another evening with students I enjoy.
This lab is one of my favorites, featuring puzzle-solving via color changes.
Sure, pH paper was available for direct assessment of the acidity of the substances...
but that would be cheating, right?
Yes, it would!
So I was sure to hide that away from their eyes.
I prefer they use the magic decoder chart in their lab background to determine the range of pH values revealed during a series of tests using different indicators.
Future health professionals need to have sharp analytic skills, you know.

Anyway, whilst giving my pre-lab spiel, I realized something: my hands had selected markers that corresponded with the mid-range colors of the two indicators I was discussing.
How cool is that?!

The first indicator I spoke of was methyl orange.
It's quite useful for separating strong acids from weak acids and everything else.
When its color is red, that indicates a pH range of 4.4 to 0.
A yellow color corresponds to a pH range of 6.2 to 14.
When orange, then the pH is
4.4 to 6.2, or the midrange
of its extremes...
much the same as that color.

What about for litmus paper?
So glad you asked!
When that indicator is red,
we know the ph range is 4.5 to 0
for the substance tested.
For a blue response,
the indicator points to
the pH range of 8.3 to 14.
And when it's purple?
The pH range is between 4.5 and 8.3
for the substance tested.
Another midrange of pH values
to accompany the blended colors!


How fortuitous that an orange marker and a purple marker were at hand for my use!
How incredible that my subconscious mind seized upon that fact and guided my hand to those two markers, of all the colors available, to elucidate the points of my talk!
I imagine the students thought I had done that on purpose... but I did not.
My amazement was genuine.
It was just another case of my brain working faster than I give it credit for doing...
again.

i thank You, God.